The Washington critic., 1887-02-12
MIR. HEWITT ON STRIKES.

In q letter 10 the StatiOners Board OF
Trade of New York, which was read
at the annual dinner of that organiaa
,ion Thursday evening, Mayor Hewitt
expresses himself very freely and
forciLly in regard to the new form of
aespotism by which not only employers
but employees are deprived of all free
agency and made subject to the control
of secret body.
lie has special reference TO the pend
ing strikes in New York and New
Jersey, whereby thousands of men
have been thrown out Of employment
and compelled TO remain idle by
authority of the organization with
which they are affiliated, all on account
of the grievances of n comparatively
small portion Of their number. Such
is the power of this organization that
strong, able bodied, intelligent men
bow TO its dictates a. though they were
slaves and suffer the means of subsist
ence to slip through their hands until
themselves and their families are forced
10 draw ralions like bcggars from a
relief fund. Tue object in view IS, of
course, obvious. 1t is intended in this
way, by shortening the necessary sup
ply Of labor and preventing others from
taking the places which they have
abandoned, to so cripple the operations
Of trade that the offending employers
will be driven by necessity to comply
with whatever terms their employees
may demand. Upon this point Mr..
Hewitt says:
do not believe that the people Of this coun-
try, especially It's Intelligent wOrkmen whose
right TO organize for mutual advantage no
one denies, will continue long to submit them
selves u the intolerable oppression Of strikes,
Loycotts and the inability TO earn their daily
bread at the will Of a secret body whose man
dates are given without explanation aud from
whose orders there seems to be no appeal,
And again:
There may be at times differences Of opln.
ion or even strikes but II is into,erable that
under any circumstances the business of the
whole community shall be arrested because
some man may imagine that he has a srlev'
ancc which requires the sacrifice Of thousands
of people in order that he may get rights that
ought to be secured 10 him by law and con
firmed in tho court, II they he due him. In
other words in this country the only over.
ruling power is the law, which expresses the
will Of the people aud any attempt to estab
lsh any other tribunal 10 the contest, and c,.
pecially irresponsible and -earet tribunals
can only bring On paralysis oI industry an
the ruin Of the very class whose interests ar
at stake.
1t will probably be slil In answer Ia
Mr.. Hewitts propositions that the
strike Gnd the bnyonit ARE iusti iljl
upon the principle ih,t "an injury
one is the concern Of ALL" This is
truth, but It Is not m argument
certainly docs not follow that becup
of an injury to one, such q course a
action should be pursued as will resUl
in injury to all; yet how many tine
has this occurred Tao chief concert
of all should be - remedy, no. 10 ag
gravate the wrong. Even In case %
failure 1t is better lht: one than a,
should suffer.
The present strike Is q 7farlli0e illus
tration of the folly, ii no. wlrkslles'
of precipitating general suspension
of labor. There are too mauy men on
OF employment, who are not conuc3te
with any industrial organization, t
warrant such n movement with an
hope of success; for the time will nevs
come In this country when a man VIII
wants employment will not be protect
ed in accepting it, even If It takes III
whole power of the Government to d
It. The consequence is that thousand
who but few days ago were earninl
a fair livelihood are now wlth0n
means Of support their places supplie
by others and themselves with nothing
10 look forward 10.
Worklngmen viii do well to ponde